As Cuba grapples with extensive blackouts, water shortages, and worsening living conditions for families, high-ranking officials of the regime are seen enjoying themselves in comfort without a care. Independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada exposed this on social media by sharing images of Beatriz Johnson, the Communist Party’s first secretary in Santiago de Cuba, and Esteban Lazo, the president of the National Assembly, enjoying leisure time, seemingly at a PCC-affiliated retreat or a secluded tourist facility.
One image shows Johnson swimming in a pool with people who appear to be her relatives, while another captures them sharing beers in a significantly different setting from the harsh reality faced by the Cuban populace. Another photo depicts both leaders surrounded by a large group during a private event in a comfortable environment, starkly contrasting with the dilapidated state of facilities supposedly available to the public. “While the people are expected to make sacrifices, Johnson, her family, and Esteban Lazo are living it up in luxury hotels,” Labrada wrote, adding with sarcasm, “Do you think I don’t have cameras? I’ve got it all!”
This revelation comes amid a national crisis where blackouts in many provinces exceed 10 hours daily, hospitals are overwhelmed, basic food is scarce, and citizens are increasingly disheartened. The images quickly went viral, sparking outrage on social media where users highlighted the hypocrisy of official rhetoric, which continually urges the populace to resist, “sacrifice,” and “stand firm with the Revolution.”
The location shown in the images remains unidentified officially, but online comments suggest it could be a Party retreat or a tourist facility reserved for officials. For many Cubans, these images confirm longstanding suspicions: while leaders distribute slogans, they enjoy privileges inaccessible to the people who sustain them.
Recent incidents involving Cuba’s power figures have exposed the gap between official rhetoric and the lives of leaders. One such instance involves Lis Cuesta, wife of Miguel Díaz-Canel, whose medical condition, photophobia, justified the use of expensive special sunglasses, something out of reach for most Cubans facing severe shortages of basic medical supplies. Another controversial case involved a high-ranking communist official receiving a scholarship to study in Brazil, perceived as selective privilege.
As the public endures the consequences of educational and migratory collapse, officials benefit from international opportunities denied to the majority. Outrage intensified with the surfacing of images showing Miguel Díaz-Canel wearing luxury watches and silk ties, which he described as part of supposed “creative resistance.” In a context of prolonged blackouts, inflation, and extreme shortages, these displays of extravagance by the leader are seen as a direct affront to the Cuban people.
Understanding Disparities in Cuba’s Leadership and Public Life
Why are images of Cuban leaders vacationing causing outrage?
The images showcase leaders enjoying luxuries while the general populace suffers from severe shortages and hardships, highlighting the disparity and hypocrisy in the leadership’s rhetoric versus their actions.
What conditions are currently affecting the Cuban public?
Cuba is facing prolonged blackouts, water shortages, hospital collapses, and scarcity of basic foods, leading to increased public dissatisfaction and desperation.
How do these incidents reflect on the Cuban leadership?
These incidents highlight the gap between the leadership’s public messaging and their personal lifestyles, which include privileges and luxuries not available to ordinary citizens.